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Genre of the Week: Mix Bag

Passage 1:

Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ Symphony completed in 1804, changed the musical world and is perhaps his defining work. At a
stroke orchestral music moves into another dimension, with a breadth of conception and emotional freight and range
beyond anything previously dreamed of, the exact concision and classical symmetry of Mozart is left behind. It was
originally dedicated to Napoleon – a dedication Beethoven removed in a rage on hearing he had made himself
Emperor. What Beethoven did here was to understand the possibilities of the sonata form, and thematic development,
and then revel in his freedom. The ‘Eroica’ Symphony influence extended far into the future, its impact immeasurable
upon composers ranging from Schubert to Berlioz to Wagner and later Mahler. In this symphony, Beethoven sought a
new path for himself; in the end, he found one that shaped music for a century.

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 is one of Beethoven’s greatest compositions and one of the greatest symphonies ever
composed. Symphony No. 9 is also known as the ‘Choral’ Symphony as its final movement features four vocal
soloists and a chorus who sing a setting of Schiller’s poem An Die Freude (Ode To Joy). In the ‘Choral’ Symphony,
Beethoven took the structure of a Classical symphony to its limits in expression of his lofty philosophical theme: the
unity of mankind and our place in the universe. While it appears to follow a conventional four-movement symphonic
model, its massive choral fourth movement was not at all conventional. Beethoven’s ‘Choral’ Symphony became a
source of inspiration to composers who followed, and a keystone of the 19th-century Romantic movement.

Beethoven wrote 32 piano sonatas, the last three being a trilogy that belong together. The first of the three, No.30 in E,
is one of the loveliest things he wrote, and is rather shorter than some of its predecessors, with a crystalline surface
hiding great mysteries and intricacies of form and harmony. The short first two movements, the former emerges out of
what sounds like gently tinkling raindrops, are just a prelude to the last – a chorale-like theme (and variations) that
covers all of the ground between Bach and Chopin before spinning itself into a delirium of ecstasy that subsides back
into the theme with a blessed sense of homecoming. It is 20 minutes of the most sustained musical rapture you could
imagine and one of the best Beethoven works.

Written double-quick in the middle of an immensely creative period the Violin Concerto in D, Beethoven’s most
consistently lyrical work, allowed him to express pure musical serenity while his more intense side was coming out in
compositions like the Coriolan Overture. It is really a 40-minute outpouring of untroubled melody, its very typical
moments of harmonic and dynamic surprise in the orchestra hardly affecting the surface. Though it was a failure at its
premiere (it was not performed again until Joseph Joachim rediscovered it in 1844), now it is one of Beethoven’s most
popular pieces, certainly the most popular of all violin concertos, and one of the best Beethoven works.

1. What is the tone of the author while describing the Symphony of No. 3 in E?
a. Narrative and Descriptive
b. Unassuming and analytical
c. Descriptive and Paean
d. Dogmatic and Persuasive

Ans: C is the correct answer as when the author speaks of Symphony No. 30 in E, not only is he full of praises but he
also provides a detailed description of how the music lays out how the symphony is constructed, woven in between
with words of praises to appease the reader about the quality of the works i.e. calling it one of Beethoven’s best works.

It’s not narrative as it’s not describing a account of an event and nor is it objective in nature. It’s not B eithers as the
author is neither unassuming nor analytical in his approach. It’s not D either as it’s usually a tone in an academic
passage, to follow a set of rules no matter what, it might have been persuasive as the author does try to sell on the idea
to listen to this particular piece, however paired with dogmatic it does not make a correct option.

2. Why was the choral Symphony considered such a great piece of work?

a. As the fourth choral movement was not at all conventional.

b. Because it was a keystone of the 19th Century romantic movement.
c. Because it became a source of inspiration to composers who followed.
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d. All of the above

Ans: A is the correct answer. Refer to the lines “While it appears to follow a conventional four-movement symphonic
model, its massive choral fourth movement was not at all conventional. Beethoven’s ‘Choral’ Symphony became a
source of inspiration to composers who followed, and a keystone of the 19th-century Romantic movement.” B and C
are the consequence, or the statements that show is that is is a popular piece of work, but the question as to what
garnered it such fame and love is answered in option A alone. There are other other aspects too but the option is
limited to one. Hence D can’t be the correct answer either.

3. What features of music composition did Napoleon experiment with in the ‘Eroica’ Symphony?

a. He removed the dedication to Napoleon after he declared himself the Emperor.

b. He found new possibilities with the sonata form and the thematic development.
c. He found the freedom in the notes and set them to the same pattern for everyone to revel in.
d. He found inspiration from the works of Mahler and Wagner and incorporated them in his symphony.

Ans: B is the correct option. We are speaking of musical compositions and changing forms with conventional methods
which is provided in option B. A is not in speaking to the composition itself, C talks about the freedom he found in the
experiments and the change of conventional tunes and D is again not in line with what the passage states, the
composers have been referred merely because how Beethoven surpassed them not for how he was inspired by them.

4. What made Violin Concerto in D stand out from his other works?

a. It was a failure initially but now honed itself to be one of the better works after it’s re-discovery.
b. It was written in an extremely short period, while he was still in midst of this other creations like Coriolan
Overture.
c. It’s a really long piece, but has been created in an untroubled melody, with a dynamic surprise of the orchestra.
d. It’s his most consistent lyrical work, so serene in contrast to his intense works such as Coriolan Overture.

Ans: D is the correct answer. Refer to the lines “... Beethoven’s most consistently lyrical work, allowed him to express
pure musical serenity while his more intense side was coming out in compositions like the Coriolan Overture. “

Passage 2:

Feminism is a contemporary social and political movement, motivated by individual and collective experiences of
women, which is based on the claim that a society is based on patriarchal principles, according to which men are
privileged over women, which results in discrimination against women in public and private life. Although feminism
is often considered a unique ideology, this theory actually makes a large number of routes created under the influence
of various factors that may be related to the historical and cultural specificity, the legal status of women in certain
countries or simply different feminist approaches to solving the problems that female population faces. Although there
are a number of specified routes, the main differences between them are reduced to the extent to which relations
within the patriarchal society are considered to be the cause of all forms of discrimination against women. Radical
feminism is a feminist theory course that starts from the idea of conflict between the sexes as a fundamental conflict,
and oppression against women as a direct implication of patriarchy. This theory rests on the assumption that all social
activity is the result of certain restrictions and coercion, and although every social system contains specific forms of
interactive constraints, they do not have to cause repression. Under patriarchy, however, interaction and
communication are limited in a way that creates and maintains rigidity which is seen as oppression, while patriarchy
takes a central place where, and why, a fundamental power struggle between the sexes takes place. Considering that a
starting point of radical feminism is the view that inequality between the sexes is the foundation of all other
inequalities and oppression, it is possible to define it as part of the (discourse) theory of conflict.

Analytically, the main difference between radical feminism and other directions of this theory lies in the extent to
which the social system based on the power struggle between the sexes - ie patriarchy, the rule of men in which
women are subordinate category - is considered to be the root of all further oppression, inequality and injustice. The
view that the patriarchal society is generally unjust system in which women are categories of people exposed to
various types of discrimination and exploitation, is a universal feature of feminist thought and the starting point for all
routes within feminism, which, however, differ in the further formulation of this paragraph, its implications and

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desirable methods for the solution of problems of the female population. Radical feminist theory is based on the fact
that gender inequality is the foundation of all other inequalities and oppression.

1. What distinguishes the different routes of feminist ideology from each other?
a. They have different beliefs as to the problem of women oppression.
b. The believe it’s only one gender at fault, while other believes in gender neutral approach to feminism.
c. The extent to which they hold patriarchy responsible for the oppression of women.
d. Their determination of equation between men and society at large.

Ans: C is the correct answer. Refer to these lines from the passage “Although there are a number of specified routes,
the main differences between them are reduced to the extent to which relations within the patriarchal society are
considered to be the cause of all forms of discrimination against women. ”

2. What can be inferred about the theory of conflict from the above passage?

a. It attempts to create and understand the conflict between the two genders.
b. It’s a theory of feminism that believes everything is a result of conflict between the genders.
c. It is a theory that encourages the discourse that society functions on conflicts between genders.
d. It is a theory that states inequality between seemingly opposing groups creates the conflict in society.

Ans: D is the correct answer. Refer to the lines “Considering that a starting point of radical feminism is the view that
inequality between the sexes is the foundation of all other inequalities and oppression, it is possible to define it as part
of the (discourse) theory of conflict.”

3. What is the writing style reflected in the second part of the passage?

a. Paraphrasing
b. Restating
c. Summarising
d. Quoting

Ans: A is the correct answer. To paraphrase something is to restate it without using the same words, but mostly for the
purpose of resharing it to give clarity.

4. Why is patriarchy as a societal concept unacceptable to feminism ideology according to the above passage?

a. Becauses it is created for the benefit of the one particular gender.

b. Unlike other systems the restrictions of patriarchy cause oppressions.
c. Unlike other systems the rigidity of the system creates a power struggle between the sexes/
d. All of the above.

Ans: D is the correct option. Refer to the lines “This theory rests on the assumption that all social activity is the result
of certain restrictions and coercion, and although every social system contains specific forms of interactive constraints,
they do not have to cause repression. Under patriarchy, however, interaction and communication are limited in a way
that creates and maintains rigidity which is seen as oppression, while patriarchy takes a central place where, and why,
a fundamental power struggle between the sexes takes place.”

Passage 3:

Stoicism was one of the new philosophical movements of the Hellenistic period. The name derives from the porch
(stoa poikilê) in the Agora at Athens decorated with mural paintings, where the members of the school congregated,
and their lectures were held. Unlike ‘epicurean,’ the sense of the English adjective ‘stoical’ is not utterly misleading
with regard to its philosophical origins. The Stoics did, in fact, hold that emotions like fear or envy (or impassioned
sexual attachments, or passionate love of anything whatsoever) either were, or arose from, false judgements and that
the sage – a person who had attained moral and intellectual perfection – would not undergo them. The later Stoics of
Roman Imperial times, Seneca and Epictetus, emphasise the doctrines (already central to the early Stoics’ teachings)
that the sage is utterly immune to misfortune and that virtue is sufficient for happiness. Our phrase ‘stoic calm’
perhaps encapsulates the general drift of these claims. It does not, however, hint at the even more radical ethical views
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which the Stoics defended, e.g. that only the sage is free while all others are slaves, or that all those who are morally
vicious are equally so. (For other examples, see Cicero’s brief essay ‘Paradoxa Stoicorum’.) Though it seems clear that
some Stoics took a kind of perverse joy in advocating views which seem so at odds with common sense, they did not
do so simply to shock. Stoic ethics achieves a certain plausibility within the context of their physical theory and
psychology, and within the framework of Greek ethical theory as that was handed down to them from Plato and
Aristotle. It seems that they were well aware of the mutually interdependent nature of their philosophical views,
likening philosophy itself to a living animal in which logic is bones and sinews; ethics and physics, the flesh and the
soul respectively (another version reverses this assignment, making ethics the soul). Their views in logic and physics
are no less distinctive and interesting than those in ethics itself.

In 155 BCE Athens sent a delegation of three philosophers (Stoic, Academic skeptic, and Peripatetic) on an embassy
to Rome. Their teachings caused a sensation among the educated. This dazzling display of dialectical skill, together
with the deep seated suspicion of philosophical culture, generated a conservative backlash against all Greek
philosophers led by Cato the Elder (234–149 BCE). By 86 BCE, however, Rome was ready to receive Greek
philosophy with open arms.

1. The word stocial is not misleading because...

a. The name is derived from the word “stoa poikilê”
b. Members of the school gathered in the school of lectures
c. The stoics in fact held back their emotions
d. These Adjectives is more suitable than epicurean.

Ans: C is the correct answer. Please refer to the lines “ the sense of the English adjective ‘stoical’ is not utterly
misleading with regard to its philosophical origins. The Stoics did, in fact, hold that emotions like fear or envy”

2. The doctrine of Seneca and Epictetus emphasis that a sage is…

a. A a person who has attained moral and intellectual perfection

b. A person who is utterly immune to misfortune
c. A person who is free while all others are slaves
d. None of the above

Ans: B is the correct answer. The later Stoics of Roman Imperial times, Seneca and Epictetus, emphasise the doctrines
that the sage is utterly immune to misfortune and that virtue is sufficient for happiness.

3. The outcome of the Athenian Delegation of Rome was:

a. They caused a sensation among the educated

b. They displayed dilacetal skills.
c. It generated a conservative backlash against all Greek Philosophers
d. All of the above.

Ans: D is the correct answer. It was only the second delegation that brought the changes to the hearts of roman and
how they were open to accepting the changes. The first delegation however received a lot of backlash for their work.

4. Epicurean means:

a. A person holding back his emotions

b. A person devoted to sensual enjoyment of food and drink
c. A person related to the school of Epictetus
d. A person for whom virtue is sufficient

Ans: B is the correct answer. The word epicurean means in pursuit of pleasure, or a person who indulges in pleasures
of food and drinks.

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Passage 4:

The process of building a habit can be divided into four simple steps: cue, craving, response, and reward. Breaking it
down into these fundamental parts can help us understand what a habit is, how it works, and how to improve it.This
four-step pattern is the backbone of every habit, and your brain runs through these steps in the same order each time.

First, there is the cue. The cue triggers your brain to initiate a behavior. It is a bit of information that predicts a reward.
Today, we spend most of our time learning cues that predict secondary rewards like money and fame, power and
status, praise and approval, love and friendship, or a sense of personal satisfaction. Your mind is continuously
analyzing your internal and external environment for hints of where rewards are located. Because the cue is the first
indication that we’re close to a reward, it naturally leads to a craving.

Cravings are the second step of the habit loop, and they are the motivational force behind every habit. Without some
level of motivation or desire—without craving a change—we have no reason to act. What you crave is not the habit
itself but the change in state it delivers. You do not crave smoking a cigarette, you crave the feeling of relief it
provides. You are not motivated by brushing your teeth but rather by the feeling of a clean mouth. You do not want to
turn on the television, you want to be entertained. Every craving is linked to a desire to change your internal state. This
is an important point that we will discuss in detail later.

Cravings differ from person to person. In theory, any piece of information could trigger a craving, but in practice,
people are not motivated by the same cues. Cues are meaningless until they are interpreted. The thoughts, feelings, and
emotions of the observer are what transform a cue into a craving.

The third step is the response. The response is the actual habit you perform, which can take the form of a thought or an
action. Whether a response occurs depends on how motivated you are and how much friction is associated with the
behavior. If a particular action requires more physical or mental effort than you are willing to expend, then you won’t
do it. Your response also depends on your ability. It sounds simple, but a habit can occur only if you are capable of
doing it. If you want to dunk a basketball but can’t jump high enough to reach the hoop, well, you’re out of luck.

Finally, the response delivers a reward. Rewards are the end goal of every habit. The cue is about noticing the reward.
The craving is about wanting the reward. The response is about obtaining the reward. We chase rewards because they
serve two purposes: (1) they satisfy us and (2) they teach us.

1. Habits can occur:

a. If you brain functions on the four step pattern
b. When you crave a change
c. when you are capable of responding
d. when you crave for a reward

Ans: A is the correct answer. A habit occurs when the four step cycle of cue, craving, response and reward is fulfilled.
Refer to the first paragraph of the passage.

2. We crave because:

a. We are motivated
b. We are triggered by information
c. Thoughts and feelings are transformed
d. We desire to change our internal state

Ans: D is the correct answer. As given in the lines “he thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the observer are what
transform a cue into a craving.” and “Without some level of motivation or desire—without craving a change—we
have no reason to act.” B is specifically mentioned as not enough to cause a craving. C is one of the reasons, but only
when these thoughts are processed to transform into a desire or interpreted when cravings occur.

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3. Rewards:

a. Trigger our behavior

b. Crave certain change
c. responds to certain action
d. all three of the above

Ans: D is the correct answer to the above question/ as rewards function for the benefit of all three of the above
behaviors. Rewards are the end goal of every habit. The cue is about noticing the reward. The craving is about wanting
the reward. The response is about obtaining the reward. We chase rewards because they serve two purposes: (1) they
satisfy us and (2) they teach us.

4. What is the tone of the passage|:

a. Reflective
b. Earnest
c. Encouraging
d. Pragmatic

Ans: D is the correct option. a pragmatic tone is one that focuses on the practical aspect or usefulness of something.

Passage 5:

The foundations of power and the sources of political obligation are without much doubt the two main building blocks
of any theoretical inquiry in politics. Hence it is not surprising that contractarian theorists paid considerable attention
to the mechanisms underlying the formation of states—although they did so mainly for normative reasons. From an
empirical or positive point of view, the effort to build theories of state formation happened much later in time. When
they appeared, they divided into neoclassical models, which stressed the construction of a coercive structure as part of
a voluntary agreement between individuals specialized in coercion and individuals in need of protection, and Marxian
models, which portrayed the state as an invention of an elite intent on the exploitation of the masses. Today, mostly as
a result of neo institutionalist contributions from authors such as North and Olson, the formation of states is seen as a
historical turning point in which those agents who specialize in the exercise of violence acquire the right incentives to
shift from plundering a population of producers to protecting them from other plunderers. In other words, the founders
of states were mostly bandits who, under the proper material and military circumstances, had the incentive to pacify
and control a given territory and population in a systematic and orderly manner.

Still, the theoretical and empirical underdevelopment of the current theories of state formation calls for further
scholarly research. Let us just mention two potential avenues of analysis. In the first place, neo institutionalists have
reduced the foundation of states to a single cause: the transformation of bandits into lords. Yet that conclusion does not
seem convincing on both historical and formal grounds. States may form (from a strictly logical point of view) and
indeed were formed whenever some producers decided to join forces (that is, whenever they decided to accept a
common, binding authority) to respond in some coordinated fashion to (internal or external) plunderers. In fact, in the
absence of this second formative path, it seems impossible to explain why noncoercive types have been successful at
constructing and maintaining states—a democratic transition, for example, should be seen as an instance of state
formation since the problem of political obligation reappears, now in a new light (i.e. with different subjects and
sovereigns), as political authority is transferred from one or a few to many. In the second place, theories of state
formation have offered some plausible conjectures on the impact of states on economic growth (indeed most of them
were mainly built to explain the latter). But they still have little to say about the distributive and social consequences
of the emergence of political authority.

1. What does the Marxian model of state theory suggest?

a. That producers created a guild to exploit those who didn’t have enough resources.
b. That state was only formed for the ones in power to exploit those without.
c. That was formed by coercive bodies to persuade the others to give into their command.
d. It was formed to save producers from plunderers for certain benefit in exchange.

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Ans:B is the correct answer. Refer to the lines “ When they appeared, they divided into neoclassical models, which
stressed the construction of a coercive structure as part of a voluntary agreement between individuals specialized in
coercion and individuals in need of protection, and Marxian models, which portrayed the state as an invention of an
elite intent on the exploitation of the masses. ”

2. Why does the author not believe in the coercive structure of state formation?
a. Because the marxian model has more acceptance historically.
b. Because analytically, it has been found unresponsive as a theory.
c. Because current functioning of states disrupt this theory.
d. Because it cannot sustain against participative structures of state formation.

Ans: D is the correct option as, refer to the following lines. In fact, in the absence of this second formative path, it
seems impossible to explain why noncoercive types have been successful at constructing and maintaining states—a
democratic transition, for example, should be seen as an instance of state formation since the problem of political
obligation reappears, now in a new light (i.e. with different subjects and sovereigns), as political authority is
transferred from one or a few to many.

3. What pivot of history according to North, brought on the formation of the state?
a. The acts of violence from invaders who sought to exploit producers.
b. The act of plundering a population to get victory over them.
c. The acts of those who could exercise violence to use it as a promise of protection.
d. The acts of the invaders use violence to loot and plunder the producers to create states of their own.

Ans:C is the correct answer. Refer to the lines “Today, mostly as a result of neo institutionalist contributions
from authors such as North and Olson, the formation of states is seen as a historical turning point in which
those agents who specialize in the exercise of violence acquire the right incentives to shift from plundering a
population of producers to protecting them from other plunderers.”

4. What is tone of the author in the above passage in the concluding statements?
a. Speculative
b. Analytical
c. Unambiguous
d. Pedagogic

Ans: B is the correct option.

Passage 6:

Anime has been a global popular culture phenomenon for quite some time already: it has been labeled as new form of
soft power, a term coined by Joseph Nye who focuses on cultural politics and a new kind of interaction between
cultures emerging from globalization and the shift from military power to cultural power. Other scholars, such as Anne
Allison, adopted his concept in their own research on cultural imperialism and cultural power: “At work here is a new
kind of global imagination, or new at least in the way it differs from an older model of Americanization. Joseph Nye
has defined latter in terms of what he calls soft power, the “ability to get what you want through attraction rather than
coercion or payments.”” (Allison 2006, 17) At this point, the sudden shift from Western science fiction and envisioned
images of futuristic worlds towards its Japanese “double” might seem a bit unusual, but if we observe anime as this
new global cultural phenomenon and soft power that everybody is talking about, then it doesn’t seem so extraordinary.
If we are talking about popular culture, anime has a significant place in it and becomes as relevant for its contribution
to the science fiction genre as any other non-Japanese and non-animated popular culture product. The extent and
intensity of anime’s contribution to global sci-fi film does not come by surprise, as the genre is one prevailing in
anime, along with fantasy and cyberpunk. Popular culture is now obviously recognized as something powerful,
usually taken into consideration in terms of cultural politics and economy of popular culture. It has become a
dialectical space producing opportunities for “cultural imperialism” and, according to scholars; the two struggling
powers on the global cultural scene today are Americanization and Japanization. Though I will leave the discussion on
cultural politics for another paper, I would like to highlight the word power here, but not in its political sense. The
power I refer to is the power of popular culture to produce images, raise questions, and respond to the challenges of
the contemporary world: to discuss and to explore. Anime’s history goes back to Japanese-style paintings, yamato-e in
general, and emakimono or picture-scrolls in particular. It is further traced to chinzō or portrait painting, ukiyo-e,
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kabuki, bunraku, nō, kyōgen, picture-card storytelling and especially interesting utshushi-e or magic lanterns, with its
most contemporary predecessor: manga or Japanese comics. Why I find magic lantern shows especially interesting is
because they were based on certain technologies imported from the West and were probably one of the first Japanese
popular culture forms to bring two dimensional inanimate objects into life, starting its internationalization and
adoption of Western techniques. It also evokes some irony, as story-telling started being dependant on technology.
This irony rises from anime being dependant on technology and offering critical narratives on technology at the same
time.

Passage 6

1. Who has coined the term “soft power”?

a. Joseph Nye

b. Anne Allison

c. Joseph Allison

d. Anne Nye

Ans – a

Joseph Nye has coined the term “soft power”.

2. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the passage?

a. The increasing trend of Anime amongst young audience

b. The increase of Japanese soft-power through anime

c. The rise of Anime

d. Anime and Manga – Japan’s latest soft power weaponry

Ans – c

Option a is wrong – It focuses only on the young audience. Nowhere in the passage is it mentioned that anime attracts
only the young.

Option b is wrong – Though the author mentions soft-power, it is not the fulcrum of the passage.

Option c is correct – The passage is about anime and its rise. This title captures the mood correctly.

Option d is wrong – Manga is just touched upon and is not as central a theme as anime.

“At this point, the sudden shift from Western science fiction and envisioned images
of futuristic worlds towards its Japanese “double” might seem a bit unusual”.
Here “double” is a/an –

a. Adjective
b. Adverb
c. Verb
d. Noun

Ans – d

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Here “double” is a noun. It is being described by the adjective – Japanese.

4. Which of the following statements is true?

a. Anime was existing in Japan even before American cartoons.

b. Many anime have themes of lawless subculture of an oppressive society dominated by computer technology.

c. Japan has created anime with the sole intention of increasing its soft-power.

d. All of the above

Ans – b

Option a is wrong – Japanese pictures existed which can be traced as roots of anime. Anime itself didn’t exist.

Option b is correct – Cyberpunk is a genre of science fiction set in a lawless subculture of an oppressive society
dominated by computer technology. It is a very popular theme of anime.

Option c is wrong – This is a very extreme statement. We can’t say this was created only for increase Japan’s
soft-power.

Passage 7:

Spicy, rich, flavourful and diverse are terms that are frequently used to describe Indian food. All these words are apt in
describing Indian cuisine, for it is diverse in variety and taste, and is made up from a wide array of regional cuisines
throughout various parts of India.

Due to the differences in climate and soil conditions, the local cuisines in various regions may vary greatly from each
other, as each region uses spices, herbs and ingredients that are grown locally. Culture, tradition and religion also play
significant roles in influencing the cuisines and diets of the Indians. Venture to the north, and you will find that roast
meat dishes, cooked in the tandoor oven to be a common item consumed in daily meals. North Indians also consume
rice dishes, such as the biryani, and flatbreads, like the chapati and poori. The flatbreads are usually eaten with thick,
mild curries. The cool and dry climate in the north provides a good environment for growing wheat and raising cattle.
As such, dairy products are also a popular ingredient often used to flavour and thicken curry dishes. The North Indians
like to dry roast their spices before grinding them, which results in the preparation of curries that have a toasty, roasted
flavour.

Now, make your way down south, and you will discover that the dishes have a tangy and spicy flavour profile. Instead
of consuming curries with flatbreads, locals residing in the southern regions of India often have it with rice.

Differences can be discerned in the consistency of the curries prepared in North and South India. The curries prepared
in the South are soupier relative to the thicker, richer curries found in the North. This can be attributed to differences
in the ingredients used. Coconut is a dominant ingredient, and coconut oil and coconut milk, rather than dairy
products, are often used in the preparation of food dishes in the South. In addition, unlike the North Indians, the locals
in the South do not roast their spices. Instead, they ground their spices into wet masalas, before using them to cook
spicy curry dishes.

1. Which aspect of Indian foods has been highlighted by the author?

a. Spiciness

b. Diverse nature

c. Extensive use of spices and herbs

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d. All of the above

Ans – b

The author talks about how Indian foods are diverse. This diverse nature stems from the diversity that resides in the
country itself – be it diversity in religion, culture, geography etc.

2. Which of the following is a synonym for “discern”?

a. Overlook

b. Differ

c. Perceive

d. Falter

Ans – c

To discern means to recognize or find out.Thus, option c is correct.

3. Which of the following statements can be concluded from the passage?

a. In Southern India, rice is preferred over flatbreads.

b. In India, the flatbreads are eaten with thick curries.

c. Both a and b

d. Neither a nor b

Ans – a

Option a is correct as the author mentions that in the South, people generally consume rice rather than flatbreads.

Option b is incorrect as the author says that in North India, the flatbreads are eaten with thick curries. It can’t be a
generalized statement that this happens in the whole of India.

4. Which of the following is NOT a food-habit of North Indians?

a. Use of dairy products as a food-ingredient.

b. Dry roasting the spices before grinding them.

c. Using soupier curries.

d. Extensive use of tandoor.

Ans – c

In the south, people prefer soupier curries rather than thick curries. The latter is preferred in North India.

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Passage 8:

The origin of chess remains a matter of controversy. There is no credible evidence that chess existed in a form
approaching the modern game before the 6th century CE. Game pieces found in Russia, China, India, Central Asia,
Pakistan, and elsewhere that have been determined to be older than that are now regarded as coming from earlier
distantly related board games, often involving dice and sometimes using playing boards of 100 or more squares. One
of those earlier games was a war game called chaturanga, a Sanskrit name for a battle formation mentioned in the
Indian epic Mahabharata. Chaturanga was flourishing in northwestern India by the 7th century and is regarded as the
earliest precursor of modern chess because it had two key features found in all later chess variants—different pieces
had different powers, and victory was based on one piece, the king of modern chess.

How chaturanga evolved is unclear. Some historians say chaturanga, perhaps played with dice on a 64-square board,
gradually transformed into shatranj (or chatrang), a two-player game popular in northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan,
and southern parts of Central Asia after 600 CE. Shatranj resembled chaturanga but added a new piece, a firzān
(counselor), which had nothing to do with any troop formation. A game of shatranj could be won either by eliminating
all an opponent’s pieces (baring the king) or by ensuring the capture of the king. The initial positions of the pawns and
knights have not changed, but there were considerable regional and temporal variations for the other pieces. The game
spread to the east, north, and west, taking on sharply different characteristics. In the East, carried by Buddhist
pilgrims, Silk Road traders, and others, it was transformed into a game with inscribed disks that were often placed on
the intersection of the lines of the board rather than within the squares. The modern rules and appearance of pieces
evolved slowly, with widespread regional variation. By 1300, for example, the pawn had acquired the ability to move
two squares on its first turn, rather than only one at a time as it did in shatranj. But this rule did not win general
acceptance throughout Europe for more than 300 years.

Chess made its greatest progress after two crucial rule changes that became popular after 1475. Until then the
counselor was limited to moving one square diagonally at a time. And, because a pawn that reached the eighth rank
could become only a counselor, pawn promotion was a relatively minor factor in the course of a game. But under the
new rules the counselor underwent a sex change and gained vastly increased mobility to become the most powerful
piece on the board—the modern queen. This and the increased value of pawn promotion added a dynamic new
element to chess. Also, the chaturanga piece called the elephant, which had been limited to a two-square diagonal
jump in shatranj, became the bishop, more than doubling its range.

Until these changes occurred, checkmate was relatively rare, and more often a game was decided by baring the king.

1. Why is Chaturanga treated as the earliest precursor of the modern chess?

a. Because it had 100 or more squares.

b. Because different pieces had different powers.

c. Because it was played in India.

d. Both b and c

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Ans – b

Option a is not correct as the modern chessboard has 64 squares, just because chaturanga had 100 or more squares, it
can’t be said to be the earliest precursor of the modern chess.

Option b is correct as the author mentions that the earliest precursor of modern chess because it had two key features
found in all later chess variants—different pieceshad different powers, and victory was based on one piece, the king of
modern chess.

Option c is incorrect as the authors refutes the information that Chess has originated most probably from India.

2. Which of the following can be said to be correct?

a. The pawn in chaturanga could get promoted to the queen.

b. By 1600 the pawn had acquired the ability to move two squares on its first turn.

c. The king was rarely captured in Chaturanga.

d. The chaturanga piece called elephant could make only a one-square diagonal jump is Shatranj.

Ans – c

Option a is not correct, as in chaturanga the pawn could only become a counselor.

Option b is not correct – the year shall be 1300.

Option c is correct as the author says “Until these changes occurred, checkmate was relatively rare, and more often a
game was decided by baring the king”.

Option d is not correct in the elephant could make a two-squares diagonal jump in Shatranj.

3. Which of the following pieces became the bishop?

a. Pawn

b. Queen

c. Rook

d. Elephant

Ans – d

The elephant became the bishop.

4. Since which year did Chess make the greatest changes after two big changes in its rules?

a. 1500

b. 1475

c. 1425

d. 1400

Ans – b

Chess made its greatest progress after two crucial rule changes that became popular after 1475.
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Passage 9:

An attractive, tidily organized collection of famed French philosopher Michel Foucault’s writing about film as well as
scholarly reflections on that writing, translator/editor Clare O’Farrell’s Foucault at the Movies is a necessity for film
scholars and philosophers alike. Filled with writing about Foucault and by Foucault himself, Foucault at the Movies is
an effectively translated and admirably assembled work of film scholarship and philosophical history. Though the
book would be a suitable text for a university course on philosophy, film or both, it is also readable enough to serve as
entertainment as well.

Though the analysis of his actual work is very interesting and particularly important in terms of putting Foucault’s film
writing in context, the real draw here is Foucault’s work, which includes film reviews, interviews with an assortment
of international luminaries including feminist icon Hélène Cixous and director Werner Schroeter, general and specific
film commentary and philosophical ponderings regarding film and technology. The interviews, in particular, offer a
more engaging and relaxed Foucault than one might find in his more famous work or even his literary criticism.
Though Foucault actually wrote very little on film itself, O’Farrell has done an excellent job of not only gathering a
variety of conversations, lectures, articles and other materials. Her decision to arrange these in chronological order (by
original publication date) also gives a flow to the work. One can sense Foucault’s shifting focus as the work
progresses, and it is especially entertaining hear these shifts in his own words.

And they are his own words, because though O’Farrell is quite capably translated many of the pieces from their
original French, she has resisted adding additional flourish to these translations. As a result, the reading can
occasionally be confusing or clunky, particularly the transcribed interviews as it is English related in French speaking
patterns. However, the authenticity that style brings to the text far is necessary and adds vitality and charm to the
overall work.

The final pages of the book are filled with unique bonuses. The first of these is a program, assembled by Zabunyan
and Maniglier in 2011, of films that inspired or were inspired by Foucault. Then comes the notes. O’Farrell gives
pages and pages of notes on not only her translations but also regarding the context of many of the interviews. It is a
fascinating look into her process and also into the amount of work that went into making Foucault at the Movies such
a thorough yet seamless work.

Though these final pages hint at the amount of work Clare O’Farrell did in putting together Foucault at the
Movies, she humbly stays out of much of the book’s content, including a brief Translator’s Preface before
ceding the stage to Zabunyan, Maniglier and, of course, Michel Foucault. Foucault often commented on how
much he enjoyed speaking about and writing on literature, and that enthusiasm obviously crossed to other
mediums as well. Foucault’s thoughts on film are fascinating yet also offer a more genial look at the famed
philosopher.

1. Which of the following is the passage about?

a. It is about Foucault and his contribution to cinema.

b. It is about Foucault’s writing on cinema.

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c. It is about the book penned down by O’Farrell on Foucault.

d. None of the above

Ans – d

The passage is about the book – Foucault at the Movies, which is a collection of Foucault’s writings and
interview transcripts, lectures etc., that has been translated by O’Farrell. She has not penned down a book on
Foucault but has collected these in the translated document.

2. What is the tone of the author in the passage?

a. Pedestrian

b. Technical

c. Laudatory

d. Motivating

Ans – c

The author is appreciating the efforts of O’Farrell. Thus, laudatory is the correct choice.

3. Which of the following is NOT correct as per the passage?

a. The contents of the book is easily understandable and O’Farrell does a great job in ensuring that.

b. O’Farrell gives an idea of the efforts and work she had to put in while working on the book in the book
itself.

c. Both a and b

d. Neither a nor b

Ans – a

Option a is NOT correct. There are parts where the exact transcript of the interview has been given, which
makes the reading a bit difficult.

Option b is correct. The author mentions these as a bonus for the readers.

4. In which year did Zabunyan and Maniglier assemble a program of films that inspired or were inspired by
Foucault?

a. 1976

b. 2011

c. 1984

d. 1998

Ans – b

In 2011, Zabunyan and Maniglier assembled a program of films that inspired or were inspired by Foucault.
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Passage 10:

A recurring theme in the tragedies of ancient Greek theatre was humanity’s helplessness before the decrees
of fate. Characters such as Laius in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex would attempt to defy powers greater than
themselves, only to meet precisely the end that had been foretold at the play’s beginning. An interrelated
tragedy from the canon is that of Cassandra, whose warnings of the future are fated to be dismissed, then
later vindicated. It is from here that the Cassandra metaphor of modern parlance is derived.

The analogy is not exact, but for fate as the power greater than humanity in the worldview of the classical
Greeks, let us substitute, in the modern world, the perpetual development of social, economic and political
relations through history, which have no divinely pre-ordained outcome, but which nevertheless provide the
inescapable wider context for our actions.

Both today and in the myths of antiquity, it is those in positions of power who would presume to defy these
greater forces, while the modern day Cassandras are the ones who contradict power, point out its hubris and
speak truths that it would rather ignore.

The triumphalist atmosphere in Western capitals following the demise of the USSR produced assessments of
America’s status as the world’s only superpower that ranged from the hubristic to the outright irrational.

As Bush the First announced a “New World Order” based on Washington’s military and economic
supremacy, Francis Fukuyama famously declared the “end of history” itself – meaning that Western
liberalism (in the benign sense in which he viewed it, as a force for democracy and prosperity rather than
imperialism and exploitation), had emerged victorious from history’s struggles, becoming a settled and
uncontested ideal to which all would now aspire.

Fukuyama united with other neo-conservatives under the banner of the “Project for the New American
Century”, later using the events of September 11, 2001 to promote the aggressive foreign and military
policies of Bush the Second.

In 2004, a senior presidential aide told a writer for the New York Times magazine, “We’re an empire now,
and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you’re studying that reality… we’ll act again,
creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that’s how things will sort out. We’re history’s
actors… and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.”

In the end, the neo-conservatives’ “New American Century” lasted around seven years, from the al-Qaeda
attacks on Washington and New York that fired the starting gun on the “War on Terror” to the departure
from the White House of a much diminished George W Bush, with the quagmires of Iraq and Afghanistan
having demonstrated “the limits, rather than the extent, of US military power”, in the words of British
newspaper columnist Seumas Milne.

1. In the analogy that the author has used, which of the following has been compared to fate?
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a. The New World Order

b. USA’s might

c. Demise of USSR

d. Fukuyama

Ans –b

The author mentions that the analogy is not exact. What he wants to denote by referring to fate is a force of
high strength and power. In the context of the passage that is USA’s might – military and financial.

2. What does the 2004 quote of the US presidential aide exhibit?

a. Exultation

b. Hubristic attitude

c. Clement attitude

d. Reposefulness

Ans – b

The quote clearly shows over-confidence. Thus, hubristic attitude is correct. It means to be excessively
proud or self-confident.

3. Which of the following can NOT be said to be true?

a. The author seems to agree with Fukuyama’s “end of history” remark.

b. The author takes a potshot at the neo-conservatives.

c. The author mentions many assessments of USA’s dominance post USSR’s disintegration as outrageous.

d. All of the above

Ans – a

Option a is NOT correct. The author actually points out mistakes in Fukuyama’s assessment and that is
evident in the last paragraph where he says that US supremacy lasted only for 7 years and it exposed the
limitations rather than the supremacy.

Option b is correct. The author says that the “New American Century”, as was dubbed by the
neo-conservatives lasted for only 7 years. This is a jibe at the neo-conservatives.

Option c is correct. The author mentions this in the third passage.

4. Which of the following is a synonym of “quagmire” as per the context of the passage?

a. Swamp

b. Quandary

c. Disencumbrance
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d. Clearsightedness

Ans – b

As per the context quagmire is referring to an awkward, complex, or hazardous situation. Quandary is a state
of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation. Thus, this is correct.

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